Heat transfer apparatus



Dec. 1, 1942.

J. W. CHARLTON HEAT TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w W H a QM. N w R QM. MW. .H I I HI MMI IW I w A I /W 4%4 WWWA Om r V/ wm 3w, aw Q 3 v M 501 w A. wm wm m Y \iww QM, NJ mm W) Q g Q J 3 r on mm m# H E Q m Kw k lv ov UAW E m 0: Q\

Dec. 1, 1942. J. w. CHARLTON HEAT TRANSFER APPARATUS-- '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1941 FIGS-- INVENTOR Jbsepli "(Char/Ton BY a j a A N Patented Dec. 1, 1942 umTep STATES PATENT OFFICE nm'r TRANSFER APPARATUS Joseph W. Charlton, Bronxville, N. Y., assignor to American Locomotive Company, v New York, N. 2., a corporation of New York ApplicatioifAprll 29, 1941, Serial No. 390,888

1 Claim.

I This invention relates to improvements in heat transfer apparatus. 1 g

An object of this invention is to provide novel heat transfer apparatus including tubes,'and

of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a sectional view in-elevation of a parallel flow fin-tube vapor-liquid heat exchanger eonstitutinga preferred embodiment of this invention showing the manner in which the various elements including tube-sleeves and sleeve supporting baflle are arranged with respect to each other.

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken along the line 2-2 01 Fig. 1;

Fig. '3 is a view in section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of gaskets utilized in the embodiment of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in sectional elevation of another embodiment of this invention showing an alternative mode of supporting the sleeve supporting baille from the exchanger header.

In general, the objects of this invention ma be accomplished through the provision of heat transfer apparatus embodying one or more U- tubes, preferably finned, and removably secured adjacent the terminal end of each leg to a header. Each leg of each U-tube is jacketed throughout a substantial portion of its length by a sleeve supported upon and in flxedrelation to a sleeve supporting battle so as to form therewith-a unitary baiile-sleeve assembly which is, in turn, removably supported by and from the header. The unitary assembly and each U-tube are housed, collectively, within a shell, removably secured to the header, of which the wall thickness is substantially greater than that of the sleeves Heat transfer aparatus so constructed is characterized by the fact, firstly, that it may readily be disassembled and assembled for various maintenance operations, particularly cleaning of the finned U-tubes and the tube sleeves. Secondly, the relatively thick shell wall permits the apparatus to be operated under-substantial pressures even though relatively thin walled tube sleeves are employed for conducting fluid in eflicient heat transfer relation with the. finned U-tubes. Greater thickness of the tube sleeves is not required since, with the construction employed, the pressure differential between the inner and outer surfaces of the tube sleeves is negligible. Thus, fluid supplied to the header is conducted by one or more of the sleeves into the shell and, in consequence, surrounds the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeves and is then conducted by one or more sleeves back to the header from which it is discharged.

In disassembling the apparatus, the shell is first removed and after disconnecting the U-tubes from the header, they, in turn, may be withdrawn from the sleeves for cleaning or repair of their external and internal surfaces. Similarly, if the need arise, the battle-sleeve assembly may be disconnected and removed as aunit from the header.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the invention as embodied is constituted by a vapor-liquid exchanger comprising a header I0 divided by partitions H and I2 into. front upper and lower liquid compartments l3 and M respectively and into rear upper and lower vapor compartments i5 and I6 respectively.

The lower liquid compartment I4 is adapted to be supplied with cooling liquid through a coupling nozzle l1 and the upper compartment I3 is adapted to be emptied of cooling liquid through a coupling nozzle l8. 1

Similarly, the upper vapor compartment I5 is adapted to be supplied with hot vapor through a coupling nozzle I9 and the lower vapor compartment i6 is adapted to be emptied of vapor through the coupling nozzle 20.

As embodied, the header to is of unitary cast construction but it may obviously be of forged construction or assembled from a number of separately manufactured parts.

The compartments l3 and M are capped by a flat circular cover 25 secured to an outstanding annular flange 26 by means of bolts 21. A flat gasket 28 such as is best shown in Fig. 6 is provided between the opposed surfaces of the cover 25, the flange 26 and the partition 12, this type of gasketing'being generally suitable for units subject to pressures up to about 400 lbs. per square inch. For units designed to be operated at higher ,it maybedesirabletoemploy a different type of gasketing such as. for example. a tongue and groove construction in which the gasket is compressed invthe groove.

Cooling liq id is adapted robe conducted to andfromthecompartments "and ll,respectivelv by one or more U-tubes removably secured by means of suitable fittings to the partition il. As embodied, the U-tubes, three in number and respectively designated by the numeral 20, are provided with fins I. extending radially outwardly and havetheir respective terminal extremitiessecuredthrougharolledtonsueand groove union within individual fittings ll which extend through the partition Ii. As here emdie the partition Ii is provided with openings, six in number, symmetrically positioned with their centers on a circle concentric with the longitudinal axis of the header. Each fitting ii is provided with a conical shoulder :2 adapted to be drawn into sealing en agement with a matching conical shoulder 33 on the rear face of the partition Ii by means of anut ll threadedly engaging the fitting SI and abutting the opposite face of the partition wall. The shoulders 32- and 83 are preferably provided with ground surfaces which when engaged effectively seal the openings against leakage of fluid between the front and rear compartments. Various other suitable types of fittings may obviously be employed. As embodied, the U-tubes are of suitably different lengths so that they may cross eachother at the U-bends but the spacing of the legs of each U- tube is the same. Obviously however, the spacing may be different as between U-tubes so that the tubes may be positioned in parallel rather than in intersecting planes.

Each leg of each U-tube is jacketed throughout a substantial portion of its length by a sleeve which though in spaced relation thereto is in substantially close fitting engagement with the outer extremities of the tube fins 30. As here embodied, relatively thin-walled sleeves 35 jacket each leg of the U-tubes as shown throughout a substantial portion of their length, each sleeve 35 being snugly fitted at one end in a separate opening in a circular sleeve supporting baifle 36 to which the sleeves are secured. As here embodied. the sleeves are welded circumferentially thereof to the baille although threaded or other forms of engagement may be utilized.

' The baille it and the sleeves 35 together form a relatively light weight unitary assembly which is stiffened by a spider ll securing the opposite ends of the sleeves to each other to. assist in maintaining the fixed alignment desired in the assembly.

The baiile-sleeve assembly is removably secured to the header i0. As here embodied, the sleeve supporting baflle is seated in an annular recess 38 formed in the outstanding annular flange ill of the header II to which the baflle is removably secured by screw-bolts ll which preferably lie flush with the bailie face. The floor of the recess lies in the plane of the adjacent endof the partition I! and a gasket 42 best shown in Fig. 5 lies between the opposed surfaces of the baille ll and the header l0. 7

The sleeve-baille assembly and the U-tubes are collectively housed within a shell of appreciable wall thickness capable of withstanding pressures substantially above atmospheric. As here embodied, a shell 48 is built up from a plurality of sections welded into an integral unit having an outstanding annular bolting flange 40 byiwhich 76 paratus 48 positioned between the opposed surfaces.

The shell flange 48 is formed with an annular recess II to accommodate the bailie 8| which fits therewithin when the parts are assembled. the recess being of a depth suflicient to provide a slight clearance betweenthe opposed faces of shell flange and baille.

In Fig. 7,- there is shown an alternative form oi. mounting for the baille plate. As there cmbodied, the recess I! in the bolting flange ll is somewhat smaller in diameter but of greater depth so that the baflie ll lies substantially flush with the plane surface of the bolting flange. The

recess I. in the'shell flange is in consequence of somewhat smaller diameter thereby preserving substantially-the full strength of the shell flange. A number of support rods such as the support rod ll threaded at one end are welded at the other end to the inner wall of the header compartments l5 and it around which they may be symmetrically positioned so as to pass through correspondingly symmetrically located openings in the ballle 30 between the sleeves II. Securing means such as the nut 52 threadedly engage the bolts to secure the baille in position. A gasket I3 is positioned between the baiile and recess floor to seal the joint.

In'the invention as here embodied, hot vapor enters the header ili through the nozzle is and flows from the upper compartment is through the upper bank of sleeves 35 leading therefrom into the shell 45 wherein it surrounds the sleeves N which are thereby subjected to substantially the same pressure at their inner and outer surfaces. The hot vapor in flowing through the upper bank of sleeves 35 into the shell is cooled therein by indirect heat exchange with cooling liquid passing through the U-tubes in counter-current relation thereto and is further cooled in thesame manner as it is connected by the lower bank of sleeves 35 from the shell into the lower compartment it from whence it is discharged through the removing the bolts 41 and removing the shell from the header. The cover 25 is then removed by removing the bolts flso that access may be had to the nuts 34 which are provided with spanner sockets 55 so that they may be rotated and unscrewed from the fittings II. The finned U-tubes 2! with attached fittings ll may then be withdrawn through the sleeves 35 for cleaning. The. sleeve-baflie assembly may then be removed from the header by unscrewing the bolts 4|.

Thus, it will be observed that the objects of this invention have been accomplished. There has been provided fin-tube heat transfer apparatus which may be readily and easily assembled and disassembled for the better carrying out of various maintenance operations such as cleaning, replacing of parts, repairing and the like. 'There has been provided fin-tube heat transfer apparatus for high pressure operation in which the possibility of leakage has been minimized and there hasbeen provided heat transfer apparatus having jacketed fin-tubes, so constructed and arranged as to permit the use of lighter weight material for'the jackets than has heretofore been deemed suitable for a given operating condition, to the end that considerable savings inthe overall weight and cost of the apmay'thereby be effected.

It will be observed that various changes may be made in details within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is, therefore, to be under-- stood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A heat exchanger comprising a header having compartments at one end for supply and discharge of one fluid and compartments at the other end for supply and discharge of another fluid; a shell joined to said header at one end thereof and providing a fluid chamber extending throughout the length of said shell; a bafllesleeve unitary assembly including a baflle forming a wall of each of the compartments at said one end of said header and further including sleeves opening at one end through said baflie to each of said last named compartments and extending from said baffle part way through said chamber and opening at the other end into said chamber for communication between the sleeves of one compartment and the sleeves of the other compartment through said chamber, said assembly beyond said baflie being in floating relation to said shell; a plurality of U-tubes, the legs thereof being detachably secured to said header, each leg in communication with one of the compartments at said other end of the header, and the U-bends thereof being disposed in said chamber beyond the ends of said sleeves opening into said chamber, and a leg of each U-tube extending through a sleeve of each compartment to form therewith a narrow annular passage; and means detachably securing said header, shell and baflle together whereby upon detachment of said U-tubes said shell and assembly may be removed from each other and from said header. JOSEPH W. CHARLTON. 

